Dred Scott v. Sandford

Dred Scott v. Sandford was a landmark Supreme Court case decided in 1857. Dred Scott, an enslaved man, sued for his freedom after living in free territories. The Supreme Court ruled that Scott could not sue because he was not considered a U.S. citizen, and also stated that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories, declaring the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. This decision intensified national tensions over slavery, contributing to the political conflicts that led to the Civil War. The ruling has been widely criticized and is seen as one of the worst in Supreme Court history.